|
Harvard
Family Involvement Alliance Charter Academy Computer Oriented Learning |
Learning Gauge is about process quality control in the learning process of education. A quality
organization does the right thing because all of its people do the right thing because they understand the
mission and believe it. Those who are uninitiated in process quality control might think it means
testing goodness into the final product. That's not the case at all. Quality process is all
about discovering what can be improved at the factory. Good products come from good processes.
In industry, the quality process scope begins with market research, ends with customer satisfaction
measurements, and includes everything in between. Yet the process never ends. Parental InvolvementOf all the components that correlate to high student achievement and satisfaction, parental involvement is the most important. Unfortunately, the campaign to remove parents from a student's life has been institutionalized. Personalized Learning PlansA student's mindset toward purpose and direction is critical to learning success and satisfaction. By involving a student and their parents in the development of a comprehensive learning plan, a student not only gains the feeling of purpose, but an expectation that lessons include something relevant to their lives. Learning RecordsA paper trail of learning can be built by documenting the progress made in the pursuit of a learning plan. As expectations are turned into accomplishments, a record of learning naturally impels the focus away from red tape and tedium, such as counting desk hours, and encourages the development of a highly professional teaching staff that focuses on learning. Big ToolboxTeaching tools extend from home, to classroom, to community, to college, to online, to business partnerships. The value of off-campus learning is revealed when all tools are used and measured. Quality Process Control MethodologiesA quality organization does the right thing because all of its people do the right thing because they understand the mission and believe it. Quality is not something that can be driven down the throat of a team. The quality process requires a team of professionals willing to talk to each other and a discussion leader who can help the members clarify their ideas while staying on topic. Over a period of time, if the right topics are discussed and followed up on, the team will develop a consensus that can be proven right or wrong. To develop a professional staff, the leadership must provide regular times for quality process discussions and protect that time. Relevant TechnologyTechnology not only allows a quality organization to reduce the tedium of red tape and paper work, but the learning value of every book, curriculum, plan, time line, and learning tool can be measured. Professional Development in the Teaching TeamProcess quality control is unfamiliar to the academic community. However, rigorous adherence to such methodologies can lead to a new level of professionalism in which all members eagerly talk to each other, learn from each other, and work for common goals. They allow deeper understanding to take place between all members from new young teachers with training in the latest techniques, to older more experienced teachers with real world experience and deep knowledge of their subjects.
Wynn Smith
|